Home Office

*No heading*

Lord Hodgson of Astley Abbotts: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the policy of the Metropolitan Police Service to prevent individuals who have applied to join the service and have been put into the reserve pool from applying to join other police forces.

Lord Bates: Individual police forces in England and Wales are responsible for deciding when and how they run their recruitment and selection processes. This is managed within a national application, assessment and selection framework, in line with national guidance maintained by the College of Policing.

*No heading*

The Earl of Dundee: To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they plan to distinguish between the number of overseas students with Tier 4 visas and the number of migrants in all other categories in immigration statistics.

Lord Bates: International students are included in net migration statistics that are produced by the independent Office for National Statistics (ONS). In line with the internationally agreed UN definition, these statistics define a migrant as someone changing their normal place of residence for more than a year. Students are therefore included in the same way as other migrants. Other countries, such as the United States, Canada, and Australia also include students in their net migration figures. Like other migrants, students who stay for longer than 12 months have an impact on communities, infrastructure and services while they are here, so it is right that they are included in the net migration count. The ONS estimates that in the year ending March 2015 there was a difference of 96,000 in the number of non-EU students coming to and leaving the UK. Therefore student emigration, or the lack of it, is a key driver of overall net migration. We have an excellent offer for international students, and as a result we remain the second most popular destination in the world for international higher education students. The latest figures show that visa applications sponsored by universities were now 17% higher than they were in 2010, and the corresponding figure for Russell Group universities was 33%.  The Home Office publishes statistics on entry clearance visa grants broken down by category in table vi_04 (Entry clearance visas tables volume 4) within the ‘Immigration Statistics’ release, and in the Visas topic. Data for numbers of entry clearance visas granted for study (Tier 4 & pre-PBS equivalent) are separately identified. An example summary table from the Visas topic, identifying data for students, is provided below.Entry clearance visas granted by reason (excluding visitor and transit visas)YearTotal issued (1)WorkStudyStudent visitors (2)FamilyDependant joining or accompanyingOther  YE June 2010616,650154,615320,18341,85950,24015,40734,346 YE June 2011616,413158,261304,56855,08249,26315,00134,238 YE June 2012520,073147,377214,21968,99044,42412,78232,281 YE June 2013501,608144,503204,41072,47333,71011,64934,863 YE June 2014538,504159,231218,23978,07535,66411,36235,933 YE June 2015538,663168,544216,76964,18135,24510,93042,994 Change: latest year+159+9,313-1,470-13,894-419-432+7,061 Percentage change+0%+6%-1%-18%-1%-4%+20%  [h4] Table notes(1) Excluding visitor and transit visas   (2) Student visitors are allowed to come to the UK for 6 months (or 11 months if they will be studying an English Language course) and cannot extend their stay. For consistency and comparability over time student visitor visas have been excluded from study-related totals. A copy of the latest release, “Immigration Statistics April to June 2015”, is available from the Library of the House and the Home Office website: https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/home-office/series/immigration-statistics-quarterly-release Similarly the Office for National Statistics figures on international migration to the UK (those changing their usual residence for 12 months or more) separately identify those whose main reason for migration is to study. The ONS figures are published as part of the Migration Statistics Quarterly Report, and are available from the Library of the House. The latest edition is available at http://www.ons.gov.uk/ons/rel/migration1/migration-statistics-quarterly-report/august-2015/stb-msqr-august-2015.html

Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

Packaging

Lord Clement-Jones: To ask Her Majesty’s Government when they expect to publish their response to the consultation on the Consumer Protection from Unfair Trading Regulations 2008 regarding misleadingly similar packaging.

Baroness Neville-Rolfe: We will announce the Government’s response when we publish the Report on the consultation in the next few weeks.

*No heading*

The Earl of Dundee: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of potential measures to reverse the recent decline in the number of overseas students coming to the United Kingdom to study or work, in particular those from India.

Baroness Evans of Bowes Park: The Government values the contribution that international students make to the UK’s economy, and to making our education system one of the best in the world. According to the OECD’s Education at a Glance we remain, by some way, the second most popular destination in the world for international higher education students.   The UK India Education and Research Initiative (UKIERI) aims to enhance mutually beneficial educational links between India and the UK. Both Governments have agreed to continue this highly successful programme into a third phase to begin in 2016.   BIS has established a regular tripartite dialogue with colleagues from the Home Office and the Indian High Commission.   The British High Commission in Delhi (BHC) and the British Council in Delhi are also working hard to promote the message that the UK is open to all genuine students and that there is no limit on the number of international students who can study at our world leading universities. For example, through the GREAT campaign we have a strong digital and social media campaign with a focus on the employability of Indian students who have graduated from UK HEIs and on countering common visa myths.

Ministry of Justice

*No heading*

Lord Bradley: To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many mental health treatment orders were issued by each magistrates' court in England and Wales in each of the last five years.

Lord Faulks: Data on Mental Health Treatment Requirement Orders (MHTRs) made by each court is not held centrally. Only national data on numbers of MHTRs issued in England and Wales as part of a community order/suspended sentence is available and can be found here: YearNumbers of MHTRs issued.2015 (January to March):202201496020138542012764201187820101005 The above data can be found in the Offender Management Statistics Quarterly Bulletins.

Ministry of Defence

*No heading*

Lord West of Spithead: To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Earl Howe on 16 September (HL1944), how many F35B Sea Lightnings were assumed to be in the air wings when the Prime Minister stated in September 2014 that both new aircrafts carriers would be operated concurrently in the future.

Earl Howe: In September 2014, at the NATO Summit, the Prime Minister announced that, "the second carrier, HMS PRINCE OF WALES will also be brought into service. This will ensure that we will always have one carrier available, 100% of the time." The exact number of fixed wing aircraft embarked at any time will be dependent on the mission being undertaken.

Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

*No heading*

Lord Moynihan: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what steps they have taken to ask water companies to do more to co-ordinate and implement flood defences; whether they plan to launch a full and transparent tender process in the market to meet this objective; and whether water companies' work on flood defence is intended to be outwith their regulated business.

Lord Gardiner of Kimble: Water and sewerage companies’ responsibilities include managing the risk of flooding from surface water or sewer systems. They are also expected to work in partnership with the Environment Agency and Lead Local Flood Authorities to manage the risks of all sources of flooding within a catchment.   The Government has therefore not asked water companies to do more to co-ordinate and implement flood defences, nor is it planning to launch a tender process in the market to meet this objective.

*No heading*

Lord Moynihan: To ask Her Majesty’s Government when they plan to bring forward legislation for a new water abstraction licensing regime; and whether they propose to introduce a one-size-fits-all approach to reform of the sector.

Lord Gardiner of Kimble: We are currently working on finalising the legislative approach to abstraction reform. We remain on track to deliver abstraction reform in the early 2020s.   Our aim is to introduce fairer, more flexible and more efficient systems to manage water abstraction tailored to differing catchments within a national approach.

*No heading*

Lord Moynihan: To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they are on target to deliver retail competition for non-household water and sewerage services in England in April 2017; whether they plan to publish a clearly defined timetable and a schedule of the trigger points necessary to meet this deadline; and whether Ofwat are able to impose financial penalties for breaches of licence conditions on companies which are not ready to become a licensee for the provision of retail services for all non-household customers by that date.

Lord Gardiner of Kimble: We are on track to open the non-household retail market for water and sewerage services in April 2017. All partners in the Open Water programme (the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, Ofwat and Market Operator Services Limited), are strongly committed to meeting this date. A clear timetable of the activities, which will need to be completed before the market can open, is published on Ofwat’s website and updated each month. Market Operator Services Limited is working closely with all relevant companies to ensure that they will be ready for market opening in April 2017. Incumbent water companies who want to compete in the new national retail market will need to establish a separate legal entity and apply for a Water and Sewerage Supply Licence, although they are not under any obligation to do so. Ofwat sought views on the appropriate conditions for licensees operating in the new retail market through its consultation on new Water and Sewerage Supply Licences in June 2015. It will be able to impose financial penalties on licensees who do not comply with these conditions.

*No heading*

Lord Willoughby de Broke: To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether the Rural Payments Agency will complete Basic Payment Scheme payments to eligible farmers before the end of 2015.

Lord Gardiner of Kimble: The Rural Payments Agency are on track to start making payments for 2015 BPS Claims from December. The majority of these will be in December and the vast majority in January. The payment window runs from December to the end of June.

Department for Communities and Local Government

*No heading*

Lord Beecham: To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Williams of Trafford on 15 September (HL2049), what they define as affordable housing in relation to new homes for owner occupation (1) on the private rental market, (2) for social housing, and (3) for housing managed by local authorities.

Baroness Williams of Trafford: The definition of affordable housing for planning purposes is set out in Annex 2 to the National Planning Policy Framework, as shown below.Affordable housing: Social rented, affordable rented and intermediate housing, provided to eligible households whose needs are not met by the market. Eligibility is determined with regard to local incomes and local house prices. Affordable housing should include provisions to remain at an affordable price for future eligible households or for the subsidy to be recycled for alternative affordable housing provision. Social rented housing is owned by local authorities and private registered providers (as defined in section 80 of the Housing and Regeneration Act 2008), for which guideline target rents are determined through the national rent regime. It may also be owned by other persons and provided under equivalent rental arrangements to the above, as agreed with the local authority or with the Homes and Communities Agency. Affordable rented housing is let by local authorities or private registered providers of social housing to households who are eligible for social rented housing. Affordable Rent is subject to rent controls that require a rent of no more than 80% of the local market rent (including service charges, where applicable). Intermediate housing is homes for sale and rent provided at a cost above social rent, but below market levels subject to the criteria in the Affordable Housing definition above. These can include shared equity (shared ownership and equity loans), other low cost homes for sale and intermediate rent, but not affordable rented housing. Homes that do not meet the above definition of affordable housing, such as “low cost market” housing, may not be considered as affordable housing for planning purposes.

*No heading*

Lord Tebbit: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is their definition of "affordable housing".

Baroness Williams of Trafford: The definition of affordable housing for planning purposes is set out in Annex 2 to the National Planning Policy Framework, which is shown below.Affordable housing: Social rented, affordable rented and intermediate housing, provided to eligible households whose needs are not met by the market. Eligibility is determined with regard to local incomes and local house prices. Affordable housing should include provisions to remain at an affordable price for future eligible households or for the subsidy to be recycled for alternative affordable housing provision.Social rented housing is owned by local authorities and private registered providers (as defined in section 80 of the Housing and Regeneration Act 2008), for which guideline target rents are determined through the national rent regime. It may also be owned by other persons and provided under equivalent rental arrangements to the above, as agreed with the local authority or with the Homes and Communities Agency.Affordable rented housing is let by local authorities or private registered providers of social housing to households who are eligible for social rented housing. Affordable Rent is subject to rent controls that require a rent of no more than 80% of the local market rent (including service charges, where applicable).Intermediate housing is homes for sale and rent provided at a cost above social rent, but below market levels subject to the criteria in the Affordable Housing definition above. These can include shared equity (shared ownership and equity loans), other low cost homes for sale and intermediate rent, but not affordable rented housing.Homes that do not meet the above definition of affordable housing, such as “low cost market” housing, may not be considered as affordable housing for planning purposes.

HM Treasury

Self-employed Contributions

Baroness Kramer: To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many people who pay (1) Class 2, and (2) Class 4, National Insurance contributions below the Lower Profits Limit also employ (a) one person, (b) two people, (c) three people or (d) fewer than 10 people.

Baroness Kramer: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is the average amount paid in Class 4 National Insurance contributions below the Lower Profits Limit in each of the last five years.

Baroness Kramer: To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many people with profits smaller than £10,000 paid (1) Class 2, and (2) Class 4, National Insurance contributions in each of the last five years, and what was the average amount paid.

Lord O'Neill of Gatley: Estimates of the number of self-employed individuals who employ other people are not available.   No Class 4 National Insurance Contributions (NICs) are paid on profits below the Lower Profits Limit (LPL). Class 4 is only charged on profits above the LPL.   Estimates of the number of individuals paying self-employed National Insurance Contributions on profits below £10,000 and the average of their contributions are in the table attached.Number of individuals with profits of £10,000 or less paying NI Contributions (thousands)Average paid by individuals with profits of £10,000 or less paying NI Contributions (£)Tax YearClass 2 NICClass 4 NICClass 2 NICClass 4 NIC2010-111,6008651031442011-121,7205751071072012-131,830565113952013-141,890494116892014-151,86046711780   The level of the LPL for these years is in the table below.   Tax YearClass 4 NIC Lower Profit Limit (LPL)2010-11£5,7152011-12£7,2252012-13£7,6052013-14£7,7552014-15£7,956

*No heading*

Lord Empey: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is the current amount of borrowing by the Northern Ireland Executive as a result of the Reinvestment and Reform Initiative.

Lord Empey: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what they expect the amount of borrowing by the Northern Ireland Executive as a result of the Reinvestment and Reform Initiative to be by the end of 2015–16.

Lord Empey: To ask Her Majesty’s Government how much borrowing has been incurred by the Northern Ireland Executive since the beginning of the Reinvestment and Reform Initiative, broken down by financial year.

Lord O'Neill of Gatley: A breakdown of the Northern Ireland Executive’s Reinvestment and Reform Initiative (RRI) borrowing for the years 2003-2004 to 2014-15 is provided in the table below.   2003-20042004-20052005-20062006-20072007-20082008-20092009-20102010-20112011-20122012-20132013-20142014-2015Total£million 791691632061052602462003751511962592,409   So far this year, the Executive have drawn down £80 million of RRI borrowing. The maximum possible drawdown for 2015-16 is £327 million. Of that total, £100 million is additional capital borrowing provided by the Stormont House Agreement. Accessing this additional borrowing is dependent on continuing implementation of that Agreement.